Aching Hearts
by Matsuo Miwa
Summary: A prince and princess being forced to marry, enemies disguised as friends and an attack none saw coming leave two young royals lives changed, but not necessarily for the worse. Fantasy AU. Partly Nyotalia with eventual Feliciano/Madeline along with Lovino/Emily.
1. Aching Hearts

The kings body shook as he was racked with a coughing fit that left a pain in his chest, making it more difficult to breathe for some painfully long moments. The man should have been in bed resting, something his youngest son, Feliciano, told him often enough as he went about taking care of duties that his son could not. His dull brown eyes glanced over to the crown on his desk. Normally the sight sent happiness in his heart and pride through his body, but not anymore. Soon, his son would be wearing the crown. The mans time was near and he knew it. None of the medicine the doctors had been trying was working, and even in such an ill state he could see right through their honeyed words and spy the truth in their forced smiles and eyes. Their words did nothing to set him at ease, yet the same could not be said for his son. The boy had too much hope that it would work, believed things would be okay and the king was uncertain if his child was in denial or really believed things would go back to how they were before. That was never going to happen- things were changing and quickly. He had to ensure Feliciano was prepared for what was to come, and that their family line was to be continued. Always a careful man, he slowly looked around and listened out to ensure that no one was coming after that fit he had just had. It was not unusual for one of the staff to come check up on him if they heard. Once he was positive he was not going to be disturbed while in his room, he opened the letter the kingdom's messenger had delivered earlier that day.

The response he was given gave him one of the smallest smiles he was able to have since the illness began. His fellow king shared a similar concern for their line continuing, and this, the other king had agreed would be beneficial to both of their kingdoms. With no time to waste, he quickly wrote a letter back with the intent of sending his messenger out today. Once he was finished a few minutes later, the king grabbed his cane and made his way out of the room on shaky legs. It wasn't long however, before a familiar voice broke through the mostly silent hallway with voiced concern.

Feliciano had rushed over to his father, who was not stopping or slowing down for that matter. "Father, you need to rest!" The prince frowned, his father wasn't going to listen, he knew, but still had to try anyway. "You will not get better if you keep moving around the castle like this. You know what the doctors have said. If there is something that has to be done, I can do it."

The king was not oblivious to the desperation in his sons voice and the worry in his young golden eyes. Feliciano meant well, the king knew that but this was something he felt like he could not entrust to the prince. He was too convinced Feliciano would read the letter and try to stop something the king considered necessary. The older man was lucky if he had a month left at most at this rate. Feliciano would understand later on. For now, he said nothing as he continued, leaving his saddened son standing in the middle of the hallway.

Feliciano was about to call after the king once more but fell silent before anymore words were spoken. A tired sigh escaped him instead and he walked in the opposite direction of his father. His own steps were slow, frown still on his face and the ache in his heart became stronger as he quietly entered his elder brothers room. Over the past few weeks it had become his favorite thinking place and the only room in the castle where he had any kind of peace. It had been almost a full month now since Lovino had disappeared with no word of where he was going or currently was, and Feliciano missed him and his younger brother terribly. The prince had every intention of leaving and searching for Lovino the day they discovered he was gone, only a few of his things missing. Nothing had indicated a robbery, the guards saw no one in or around the castle the night before and that afternoon Lovino had had yet another argument with their father. With Luciano, things had been very different. The boy wanted to go out and see the world, not be stuck at one castle and kingdom his entire life. Luciano was as smart and clever as his elder brothers, something the king noticed and made a deal with his youngest son so he could go out into the world. The full details were unknown to Feliciano, and he suspected Lovino knew but the elder had no interest in sharing that information if he did. It was around the same time Lovino disappeared that he quit getting letters from Luciano, and Feliciano felt in his heart there was something going on neither of his brothers were telling him, something that made the ache grow. Going to search for them became out of the question once the king fell ill, all he could was check in with those still searching where he could not and get looks of pity from people that believed his brothers were runaways lost to the world or dead, and he was in denial over it.

'_They are alive, I know it,_' he thought determinedly, and knew deep down that they were. Feliciano just hoped and prayed that they were both well and unharmed. Brothers gone, father dying and most of the staff too busy to pay him any mind these days, Feliciano felt very much alone in the large castle. There was no distraction that could take his mind from his troubles and nothing that could bring him decent rest these days. It was determination and hope that helped him during this time, something he had not lost and held onto like precious lifeline. Things would be okay in the end, it was something else he knew and never doubted.

In another attempt to take his mind off of things for a short time, Feliciano went to look out of the sole window in the room. It had one of the best views of the front yard of the castle, and the path that led into the village. From this point, he could see anyone coming and going from the castles entrance. Not long later, he let out a small hum of puzzlement seeing the castles messenger ride away quickly. The brunet assumed it had to do with what his father had been up to lately. The king had been trying to keep it a secret for now, not counting on Feliciano seeing his father and the messenger a few days ago, only over hearing urgency in his father's voice as he told the messenger to deliver it as quickly as possible. The king did not know he had been there and Feliciano never mentioned it, fearing his father would dismiss it as nothing or blame his imagination for going overboard on something normal.

Moving to sit on Lovino's bed, he rested his head in his hands, feeling extra tired all of a sudden. Between his father and brothers, the brunet felt a bit left out of everything that was going, having a lot of questions and no answers, something he hoped to change soon. Maybe, just maybe it was time to confront his father about what he knew.


	2. Different Pages

A young woman tucked a stray strand of her long blonde hair behind her ear, a frown on her face and dread in her heart. The princess was at a loss over what to do at the moment, not content to just sit idle while waiting for one of the guards to come fetch her to hear the latest news from her papa. The king had greeted the messenger that had arrived an hour ago personally, anxious to see what his long time friend had written to have a reply back so quickly. The situation brought her sister to mind and the woman wished her sibling was there. Even if the other princess would not have known what to do, her sisters presence would have been comforting at least. Biting back a tired sigh, she stood from her seat and moved to look out of the window. She'd done this often enough when she needed a way to think or clear her head. The princess could never put her finger on it, but that was soothing and she took what comfort she could get right now.

'_Emily, I hope you're doing better than I am right now_,' she thought, knowing her sister was on an important mission, and with the eldest prince from the kingdom to where she knew for certain she was going. It was just a matter of finding out when she was to leave. Before that could happen, the young woman knew she would have to get a messenger bird out to Emily(the short haired princess had given her the location of her temporary hide-out, a place they used to visit when they were children), and it was very likely Lovino was still with her. She'd also hoped the two had been able to get answers and stop what Lovino had warned them about that night sometime ago. Just like in his home, the dark brunet told them about a traitor working in their castle, but could not give them a person or name right then and there. Just information he had gathered from a low level crook that had been paid half of his fee to try and kill the prince back at his own home earlier that day. If it were not for the changes the princesses noticed around the castle themselves, she wondered if either of them would have believed him that night. Lovino was not one to lie, and he had been so serious too. A more pressing matter on his mind that same night was the plan he had been informed of that involved the kidnapping and possible murder of his youngest brother. Emily was insistent on going with him to see more for herself, and the short haired blonde was more than capable of holding her own in a fight. Even with such knowledge, she still worried for their safety all the same.

"-ss Madeline!" A mans voice spoke a bit sternly and loud, shaking her from her thoughts, and the woman offered an apology once she realized she had been lost in memories of recent events. "Your father wishes to see you now. Come with me." The guard curtly informed her and turned to lead the way. Madeline followed along in silence, keeping her head high and doing her best to cheer herself up silently. The princess had yet to talk to the second born prince; Feliciano. With his brothers gone and papa ailing, she could only guess he was hurting a great deal as well, and might even feel the same about this as she herself did. Perhaps they could work together and both stop this wedding before it happened? For now the princess could only hope and try to keep her spirits up during this time.

Once they reached the throne room, the guard unnecessarily announced their arrival and promptly left the father and daughter alone to talk- the queen off attending to her royal duties. She was in agreement with the king over this matter and her mind was set on seeing this wedding happen.

Madeline was the one to speak first, meeting his eyes as she did so, clearly unhappy. "When do I leave?"

A frown settled on the older mans face hearing his daughters tone. She would still be upset with him for awhile yet, but he had his reasons as did his fellow king. In time she would understand his reasoning, he hoped at least. '_It's because I love you, dear daughter, that I do this. Perhaps one day you can find it in yourself to forgive your papa_,' he thought with a heavy heart. "Straight to the point, I see. You leave at dawn. I suggest taking tonight and saying goodbye to your friends here."

Madeline nodded. "If we are done then I will go do that now." Hearing her papa's confirmation that they were finished, she turned and walked out of the room, keeping the same graceful air about her as her mother. She already bid her goodbye's to her friends yesterday, having a different plan for now. Determination shining in her violet eyes, she headed off to her room to prepare a letter to send to Emily, via a messenger bird. There were a few extra ones around not being used, and she was certain no one would notice one missing.

During the next few hours she wrote and sent off her letter, packed some of her things into the bags that were waiting on her bed when she returned to her room and tried reading one of her favorite books to help calm herself enough to sleep. It was of no help, and the princess was left on her own during the night while she lay there unable to sleep, lost in her thoughts and worries, not noticing immediately the first ray of daylight shining through the window or the knock on the door that signaled her it was time to go.


	3. Ears to the Door

Once Madeline arrived at the castle after traveling for two days, it was not the king waiting to greet her as she had been expecting due to what her father had said, but rather the young prince, with a smile that did little to hide the tired look in his dulled amber eyes. She gave the prince a warm smile as two castle servants arrived to gather her things, her tall maid silently carrying her own bag, untrusting of these strangers. The air around the prince and princess was noticeably thick and both of them shifted around awkwardly for a moment, the prince being first to break the silence, something Madeline was glad for. "You look as lovely as ever, miss Madeline," the brunet spoke in a kind tone, gesturing to the inside of the castle. "I am sure after that trip you and your maid would like to rest, yes? I will show you to your rooms."

Leading the way, Feliciano was aware this was something the head of the servants at their castle could have quite easily done herself, but he was desperate for something else to do besides worry over his fathers declining health and the mans pressure to make sure he knew the ins and outs of their lands politics and everything relating to it since he would be the king sooner rather than later. Another reminder of Lovino and Luciano being gone, something else he needed to get his mind off of. The prince was still clinging with everything he had to the hope that his brothers would return, that their fathers health would come back and all would be well once again. Clinging to the small hope that everything would be _okay_.

Half-hearted small talk that was spoken to keep the silence away was shared between them, the servants preferring to keep to themselves for the time being. Once they finished the walk to the hallway that had the bedrooms Feliciano found himself feeling a bit awkward that her room was beside his. For a while this part of the castle had been occupied only by him, and now it would host the princess and her maid, who would be in the room beside Madeline's. His brothers rooms were across the hall and until further notice were to be left unoccupied, which led the prince to wonder if their father also believed they would return home as well.

"This is your room, and if you need anything, my room is right next door," he informed her after opening the door so she could enter and her things dropped off, her maid waiting dutifully for them to be done so she could speak to her princess privately before settling into her own room.

Madeline was a bit surprised upon entering, the room not being what she had thought it would be like. It had been done up with rich purples and soft yellows as an accent. A few small paintings hung scattered among the walls, some being of scenery, others of food and flowers of different colors. "Father had the room redecorated once he knew you were coming," Feliciano explained seeing the look on her face.

"I will be sure to thank him when I see him, it's beautiful," she complimented with a bit of a true smile, turning to look back at the prince. The brunet's own smile faltered a tiny bit. "I know he will be happy to see you himself, but that will not be until tomorrow, I am afraid. He is unwell and resting now." Or as Feliciano had seen not long before Madeline's arrival, his father in bed having some difficulty breathing and coughing that made the young prince wince from how it sounded. "Ah, dinner is in a few hours, and I am guessing you ladies would like to get settled in." He spoke, then politely excused himself to head outside for a while- needing the fresh air.

After Feliciano was out of sight, Madeline's maid closed the door to the room and looked at her princess with an expression Madeline couldn't put a name too just yet. "It is not too late to get out of here. You can still join your sister and leave this behind." The way she spoke, Madeline knew the larger woman was serious. "You know as much as I do about what's going on, and that I cannot do that."

Svetlana disagreed, and voiced as much, sometimes questioning the princesses loyalty to her family and purposefully being in this dangerous situation. While the platinum haired woman did not agree with the decision, she was still the blonde's friend and should harm come to her it would not be a secret take over that they should be worried about.

"I will talk to Feliciano later, privately," she tacked on after seeing the long haired woman's look. "You saw as well as I did how he acted, I don't think he wants this anymore than I do." And Madeline believed he should know what was going on. That conversation being one to be had some distance away from the castle and its untrustworthy staff.

"How do you know for certain he is not in on any of this? I will come too, but at a distance. No one here is to be trusted." Svetlana spoke with a tone that wanted no argument against it. Even if he was not, someone here was and the thought of leaving Madeline alone was out of the question.

While Svetlana and Madeline continued to talk over the issue -slowly changing topics after a few minutes to things more light hearted-, one of the male servants stood outside their door(a teeth baring grin on his face), having been eavesdropping and after getting some rather interesting information out of it he quietly left the empty hallway before he could be caught, going to find his boss, knowing he would be rewarded well for this.


End file.
